Old Fart
Merrimans Brewery ( Turnover Developments Ltd)
- From:
- Merrimans Brewery ( Turnover Developments Ltd)
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #174 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 78
Ranked #37,585 - Avg:
- 3.29 | pDev: 20.06%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 20
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 18, 2023
- Added:
- Aug 19, 2003
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
78
Okay
78
Okay
No description / notes.
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Reviewed by AzfromOz from Australia
2.61/5 rDev -20.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.61/5 rDev -20.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Purchased at Dan Murphy's in Belmont, Victoria, in October 2022. Drunk in August 2023.
L: Light, golden honey in the glass. A few large and slow-moving bubbles are struggling up the beer as though it's made of treacle. The head is a thin patina arrayed haphazardly atop the beer.
S: Sweet, cidery, metallic, pear-flavoured aromas waft from the glass. It's not the most inviting of smells...
T: The taste has a metallic sheen with the aforementioned pear and cider notes. There's a hint of Christmas cake fruits and a kick of astringent bitterness. The finish is long and sweet, with more retronasal pear and a touch of cardboard. Despite being in a brown bottle and stored in a fridge for the last ten months, it's showing the effects of oxidation, skunkiness, age and stress in one impossible package.
M: Mouthfeel is smooth, and the beer's body is quite thick, as I alluded to with the treacle observation regarding the carbonation. It feels thicker than it should, and I suspect that's more evidence of a bottle that's had a rough journey.
O: This was not particularly enjoyable, and as always, when I don't enjoy a beer, it came in a 500ml (17oz) package that I worked my way through despite my better judgement. It would be nice to taste this fresh on draught if it was available, but according to Untappd, this beer is no longer brewed.
Cheers!
#288
Aug 12, 2023L: Light, golden honey in the glass. A few large and slow-moving bubbles are struggling up the beer as though it's made of treacle. The head is a thin patina arrayed haphazardly atop the beer.
S: Sweet, cidery, metallic, pear-flavoured aromas waft from the glass. It's not the most inviting of smells...
T: The taste has a metallic sheen with the aforementioned pear and cider notes. There's a hint of Christmas cake fruits and a kick of astringent bitterness. The finish is long and sweet, with more retronasal pear and a touch of cardboard. Despite being in a brown bottle and stored in a fridge for the last ten months, it's showing the effects of oxidation, skunkiness, age and stress in one impossible package.
M: Mouthfeel is smooth, and the beer's body is quite thick, as I alluded to with the treacle observation regarding the carbonation. It feels thicker than it should, and I suspect that's more evidence of a bottle that's had a rough journey.
O: This was not particularly enjoyable, and as always, when I don't enjoy a beer, it came in a 500ml (17oz) package that I worked my way through despite my better judgement. It would be nice to taste this fresh on draught if it was available, but according to Untappd, this beer is no longer brewed.
Cheers!
#288
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.38/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.38/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Re-enter old rating that disappeared mysteriously: Had this beer in a pub just outside Glasgow Queen Street Station - I think it was cask, but might have been keg. Colour was fairly dark for a bitter, brownish. Aroma had indeed notes of "old fart" (sulphur), but the flavour was fairly malty and quite pleasant. The name probably alludes to the target group for this beer (old farts), a group I am now proud to be part of!
Apr 19, 2021
Reviewed by doktorhops from Australia
3.5/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This has been a long time coming given that I am cantankerous, old... well not old in age but old in spirit... and a boozer - perhaps the booziest of boozers as I have a blog about beer. So there you have it - many reasons for me to wrap my gob around a nonic pint of what I imagine will be a classic no-nonsense “I remember the days when...” Yorkshire-brewed English Bitter (i.e. malty with next to no hops and flat as a tack carbonation, an English pub beer if you will). Cheers to all the Old Farts out there!
Poured from a 500ml bottle into a nonic pint just as God, the Queen and Blighty intended.
A: Presents with a clear (almost hazed) copper body and a thin foamy off-white head that quickly dissipates to nothing - a typical English Bitter appearance then - no surprises but also nothing that elevates this above the pack, and TBH I prefer a bit of cloudiness in my beers, though stylistically EB’s aren’t supposed to have yeast cloudiness. 7/10.
S: Hints of Diacetyl (a buttery character for the uninitiated) upfront, this is quite acceptable for the style, along with a toffee/biscuit base and fruity/floral hops in the background. A real English Bitter with little in the way of detractions... or distractions even. 7/10.
T: Upfront fruity and floral notes lead into a dry cracker mid-palate, then a sweet toffee/caramel malt layer that then leads into some buttery character and finishes with a light hop bitterness. There’s a decent amount of complexity going on here, perhaps too much (I’m looking at you floral/dry cracker notes) and indeed the Diacetyl in the glass adds to this complexity. 7/10.
M: Mid to light, almost medium bodied with a light but not English pub flat carbonation. 7/10.
D: What a solid chap this Old Fart is! With some typical flavours you normally find in an English Bitter, although I did find it a little distracting with the floral and dry cracker notes. At times it felt a bit muddled and not really sure of where it was headed, however there are plenty of things working in its favour: Diacetyl, fruity hops, toffee/caramel malts. Certainly this is one of the better Bitters I’ve had recently (never mind it is the only Bitter I’ve had recently). 7/10.
Food match: I’ve got a friend I would like you to meet, his name is: Stew.
Aug 18, 2016Poured from a 500ml bottle into a nonic pint just as God, the Queen and Blighty intended.
A: Presents with a clear (almost hazed) copper body and a thin foamy off-white head that quickly dissipates to nothing - a typical English Bitter appearance then - no surprises but also nothing that elevates this above the pack, and TBH I prefer a bit of cloudiness in my beers, though stylistically EB’s aren’t supposed to have yeast cloudiness. 7/10.
S: Hints of Diacetyl (a buttery character for the uninitiated) upfront, this is quite acceptable for the style, along with a toffee/biscuit base and fruity/floral hops in the background. A real English Bitter with little in the way of detractions... or distractions even. 7/10.
T: Upfront fruity and floral notes lead into a dry cracker mid-palate, then a sweet toffee/caramel malt layer that then leads into some buttery character and finishes with a light hop bitterness. There’s a decent amount of complexity going on here, perhaps too much (I’m looking at you floral/dry cracker notes) and indeed the Diacetyl in the glass adds to this complexity. 7/10.
M: Mid to light, almost medium bodied with a light but not English pub flat carbonation. 7/10.
D: What a solid chap this Old Fart is! With some typical flavours you normally find in an English Bitter, although I did find it a little distracting with the floral and dry cracker notes. At times it felt a bit muddled and not really sure of where it was headed, however there are plenty of things working in its favour: Diacetyl, fruity hops, toffee/caramel malts. Certainly this is one of the better Bitters I’ve had recently (never mind it is the only Bitter I’ve had recently). 7/10.
Food match: I’ve got a friend I would like you to meet, his name is: Stew.
Reviewed by Andrewharemza from Australia
3.22/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.22/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pours clear golden brown with a small head that settles. Light floral hops on the nose with a little malt and toast. The flavour’s malty but not overly sweet with a little acidity and a bit of a burnt flavour.
Jul 15, 2015
Rated by tsinclair73 from Australia
3.27/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
3.27/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
Beautiful colour but felt a tad flat
Jan 10, 2015
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England
3.5/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled and a benchmark for flavour and aroma and bottled continental lager that though now struggles to compete was a firm favourite from either supermarket shelves before craft arrived or in pubs with limited or tainted draught/ no real ale
Dec 11, 2014
Reviewed by chogm54 from Australia
2.85/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.85/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Bought as bday gift. I've seen this brew around, but my experience with beers that prominantly advertises the country of origin on its label has not been good. lets see...
A - brown as brown can be. Not much of a head at all, with a thin lacing. clear
S - toasted malt is prevalent, hoppy citrus, slight burnt toast smell,
t - malty flavour with a nice sweet tinge at first, slightly bitter (almost sour) aftertaste
m - feels thinner than it should, decent carbonation though - a bit like soda water
O - not bad, I've had better ESBs - the aftertaste was not as bitter as I hoped. I'd like to give it a go on handtap though.
To be fair it was a 32degree day (celsius), not the best day for this type of beer...
Jan 16, 2014A - brown as brown can be. Not much of a head at all, with a thin lacing. clear
S - toasted malt is prevalent, hoppy citrus, slight burnt toast smell,
t - malty flavour with a nice sweet tinge at first, slightly bitter (almost sour) aftertaste
m - feels thinner than it should, decent carbonation though - a bit like soda water
O - not bad, I've had better ESBs - the aftertaste was not as bitter as I hoped. I'd like to give it a go on handtap though.
To be fair it was a 32degree day (celsius), not the best day for this type of beer...
Reviewed by soju6 from Missouri
3/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A: Pours a dark copper color with a small head that fades to bits of lacing.
S: Aroma of roasted malt and grain.
T: Taste of roasted malt,and some grain. Mild bitterness and a clean finish.
F: Moderate body. smooth with a light creamy texture.
O: Not a bad beer, just nothing to get excited about.
May 31, 2013S: Aroma of roasted malt and grain.
T: Taste of roasted malt,and some grain. Mild bitterness and a clean finish.
F: Moderate body. smooth with a light creamy texture.
O: Not a bad beer, just nothing to get excited about.
Reviewed by heygeebee from Australia
3.33/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.33/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I had avoided this (due to the name) until a mate bought one round.
Pours a dark amber, half a finger head.
Aromas of English malts, sweet, some toffee.
Taste as aromas - it's not groundbreaking but really quite reasonable. No hops to speak of, but not too sweet.
Might even buy again - good English ale and survived the trip here quite well.
Nov 26, 2011Pours a dark amber, half a finger head.
Aromas of English malts, sweet, some toffee.
Taste as aromas - it's not groundbreaking but really quite reasonable. No hops to speak of, but not too sweet.
Might even buy again - good English ale and survived the trip here quite well.
Reviewed by DarthKostrizer from California
1.45/5 rDev -55.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
1.45/5 rDev -55.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
Best Before 8/12/99
Vintage 98' brought to a bottleshare by MrVonzipper. Who brings a bottle to a bottleshare that expired in 1999? I will tell you who, a guy whose collection is so vast that he feels pity on most of us for never even seeing some of these bottles that he shows up with, not one bottle, but 3, that expired in 1999. Yeah, thats right bitches: suck one.
Look: Copper in color with no head
Smell: Sour raisins and caramel
Taste: Vinegar with caramel. Kind of taste like watered down balsmic vinegar
Mouthfeel: Medium body with no carbonation
Overall: Why did I drink this?
Oct 25, 2011Vintage 98' brought to a bottleshare by MrVonzipper. Who brings a bottle to a bottleshare that expired in 1999? I will tell you who, a guy whose collection is so vast that he feels pity on most of us for never even seeing some of these bottles that he shows up with, not one bottle, but 3, that expired in 1999. Yeah, thats right bitches: suck one.
Look: Copper in color with no head
Smell: Sour raisins and caramel
Taste: Vinegar with caramel. Kind of taste like watered down balsmic vinegar
Mouthfeel: Medium body with no carbonation
Overall: Why did I drink this?
Reviewed by ADZA from Australia
3.03/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Ive drunk this before but suprised to see i have not reviewed it anyways here goes it pours a see through bronze hue with average carbonation that leaves behind a fast vanishing one finger head and little lacing,the smell is only average with aromas of fruity hops and sweet malts not much to it really pretty basic,the mouthfeel is only average too and alot lighter than i remembered and quite carbonated too it has tastes of dark berries,fruity hops which is quite dominant and has a underlining of toffee,caramel sweetness to it which really rounds out those fruity hops you first encounter on taste,overall its basically nothing like i remembered and found it to be average in most departments and dont think ill be revisiting anytime soon.
Sep 25, 2010
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